Border straddlers and fans of all things Southwestern Calexico are back on the Cafe today. What started in the 90’s as a collaboration between drummer John Convertino and singer and songwriter Joey Burns has ended up some 20 years later with this fabulous band who will play live set from the stage of World Cafe Live recorded during the Non-commvention this past Spring.
Always fascinated with how Mexican and American relate culture, this time the band spent some time in Mexico City recording the new album Edge of The Sun. We'll talk about that experience and the band's love of the romantic mariachi style trumpet and why the cumbia is always a rhythm of choice.

Session Setlist
WHEN THE ANGELS PLAYED
BULLETS AND ROCKS
FALLING FROM THE SKY
CUMBIA DE DONDE

Tune in to the Free At Noon at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, as Calexico and Brian Wilson Day perform a live midday concert on Thursday.

THIS FREE AT NOON CONCERT IS SOLD OUT

The Free at Noon set for Friday, May 15 will feature Calexico and Brian Wilson.

Calexico, spearheaded by Joey Burns and John Convertino, is a powerhouse live with a variety of instruments allowing for an intricate country/folk sound. They just released their latest album, Edge of the Sun, in April.

Last but not least, this week's Free at Noon will feature pop musical mastermind Brian Wilson. April's No Pier Pressure marks his eleventh solo album release. You can join us for by RSVPing or tune in live at 88.5 FM.

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Calexico is celebrating their recent release, Algiers, and stops in Wilmington for a special XPN Free At Noon from World Cafe Live at the Queen in Wilmington

There are constants in the shapeshifting collective known as Calexico: Calexico founders Joey Burns (Vocals/Guitar) and John Convertino (drums). Together they have lit up the indie scene for over a decade, releasing six albums and five EPs. Their music has hints of country, jazz, and indie rock, combined with a hearty dose of Latin styles. Their name reflects their mixed heritage, which is in turn reflected in their music. Another trademark of Calexico is the richly narrative aspect of their lyrics. The stories they tell, in large part reflections of their native Southwest, are moving and dramatic.

Burns and Convertino met in LA in 1990 through the band Giant Sand. They both collaborated with Giant Sand, eventually relocating when the band moved to Arizona in 1994. Their first independent work was recorded on the album Spoke in 1996, under the small Hausmusik label. At the time, Spoke was both the album and band name. Spoke caught the attention of Quarterstick Records, and the band signed under their new name. "Calexico" is the name of a town in southern California, and reflected the band's diverse musical roots. In 2007, Quarterstick re-released Spoke.

By the time Calexico released their next album, The Black Light (1998),they were a cornerstone of the Arizona music scene. The band reinforced this with Hot Rail (2000) and Scraping (2002), still keeping the Quarterstick label. In 2003, their LP Feast of Wire became a huge hit, making the Billboard Heatseekers and Independent Album charts. One song from the album, "Guero Canelo," was chosen for the soundtrack to Collateral, a blockbuster featuring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx.

In 2005, the band was introduced to Iron & Wine, and a collaboration was hatched. The result was an EP under the title In the Reins, a critical success. In the Reins marked the first time the band appeared in the Billboard 200. Additionally, they hit the #12 spot on the independent charts. Since then, the band released Carried to Dust in 2008 and has toured with Arcade Fire. Their new album, Algiers, was released September 11, 2012.

They are on tour in Europe and return to the states in October to play the 930 Club in D.C. on October 11, and a full show at Union Transfer in Philly on Friday night, October 12.

Calexico Adds New Orleans Influence to the Mix on New Album Algiers, released September, 2012.

Calexico changed things up on their latest album Algiers. They moved out of their Southwest comfort zone and decamped to New Orleans to make the new record. Tune in to this session to hear Joey Burns of the band talk about how he and drummer John Convertino interpreted the Crescent City.

Background
Calexico could very well be a genre in itself. The band is a mixture of Americana, Tejano, and indie rock music, giving the America’s country music heritage a little Latin persuasion. The stylistic combination is quite interesting, much like the band’s name, borrowed from a small town of about 40,000 civilians bordering the United States and Mexico.

The two main members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, began recording under the name Calexico back in 1996 in Tuscon, Arizona. The two released their first album, Spoke, in 1997. In this session, Burns and Convertino are joined by band members Paul Niehaus, Jacob Valenzuela, Martin Wenk, and Volker Zander. Since its formation, Calexico has produced seven albums, its most recent being Algiers, released September, 2012. In addition to collaborating with artists such as Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine, Victoria Williams, Roger McQuinn, and Nancy Sinatra, the band has also recorded a score of tour albums, soundtracks, and EPs.

The Walkmen - In The New Year
TV On The Radio - Crying
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Around The Bend
The Ting Tings - Great DJ
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Ben Harper - Fly One Time
Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Sausalito
Fiction Family - When She's Near
Mark Olson & Gary Louris - Turn Your Pretty Name Around
Shemekia Copeland - Never Going Back To Memphis